Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had an interesting explanation for why he did not speak to wide receiver Chase Claypool about a mental mistake late in the team’s Thursday night loss.
With the Steelers down eight points with less than a minute left and out of timeouts, Claypool wasted several seconds celebrating a first down instead of getting back to the line of scrimmage. Pittsburgh wound up falling just short on the final play of the game with an incomplete pass in the end zone.
Roethlisberger admitted he was frustrated throughout the game, and not just at Claypool. Interestingly, the quarterback deferred to head coach Mike Tomlin when it came to discipline for Claypool’s mistake.
“It’s not really my job. To me that goes up to Coach Tomlin. That’s what he needs to do. That’s his job as the head coach,” Roethlisberger said, via Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports. “As the quarterback, it’s my job to help manage what we do on the field and getting 1st downs and trying to score.
“Dealing with player issues and whatever else you want to say, that’s the coach’s job, not mine.”
Roethlisberger does not have time to handle these things in-game, but it sounds like he does not plan to talk to Claypool at all. That’s a bit surprising given how Roethlisberger’s teammates have so much respect for him. Handling minor issues in-house could help ensure Tomlin doesn’t have to deal with major ones like this later on.
Perhaps Roethlisberger will be more willing to speak to Claypool now that it’s apparent the wide receiver isn’t going to take the blame for the crucial error.
Photo: Nov 25, 2018; Denver, CO, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) warms up before the game against the Denver Broncos at Broncos Stadium at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
